


The Language of the Bones

by estelraca



Category: Kamen Rider Kiva
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, M/M, Multi, Wedding Fluff, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:21:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21924346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/estelraca/pseuds/estelraca
Summary: In a world where the rest of the Wolfen didn't perish, Jirou gets an opportunity to present his mate to the rest of the pack.
Relationships: Jirou/Kurenai Otoya
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16
Collections: Another Toku Holiday Special (2019)





	The Language of the Bones

**Author's Note:**

  * For [borrowedphrases](https://archiveofourown.org/users/borrowedphrases/gifts).



> I absolutely loved your Kiva prompt (several were good, but this was my favorite). I hope you enjoy the story and have a wonderful holiday season!

_The Language of the Bones_

Jirou scans his eyes over the assembled Wolfen, feeling a smile trying to tug at his lips and starting to suppress it.

Then he catches sight of Otoya already deep in the congregation, trying to teach a female Wolfen at least twice his age some kind of new dance move. The Wolfen looks torn between confusion, scorn, and bemused enjoyment, a triad of emotions that Jirou understands very well when faced with Otoya.

He allows the smile to spread across his face, an expression that is open and without a gram of the usual predatory edge to it. _His_ mate, _his_ friend, _his_... there are far too many ways to refer to Otoya, and none of them actually properly encompass the man at all.

But whatever he decides to call Otoya, after tonight there will be no doubt in anyone's mind that Otoya is _his_. Tonight he binds Otoya to himself, and the two of them to the pack.

The two of them... and the other members of their family.

Jirou looks around again, this time intent on finding Maya. The Fangire stands against the wall to the north of him, her eyes scanning over the crowd, little Wataru held tight in her arms. For his part Wataru seems unimpressed by the gathering, clinging to his mother while he rests his head against her chest. Jirou hadn't expected much more from the boy, though, since he isn't even a year old.

It's hard to imagine that it's truly been almost two years since he met Otoya. Two years since he set himself as the last protector of his pack, the one who was going to stand against the Checkmate Four and see that no more senseless blood was spilled.

He should have died. It was a reckless, foolhardy move, but they were out of options. The pack was a clear target, and though they had moved multiple times to stay ahead of the Fangire, Jirou wasn't going to let his people die without a fight.

And now... now he's welcomed a Fangire into their midst.

Now Jirou's son—because any son of Otoya's is a son of his—is half-Fangire.

And Jirou will make sure the pack loves him dearly despite it.

Leaving Otoya to charm the pack in his own strange but endearing way, Jirou makes his way over to Maya's side. The Fangire must sense him coming—smell him, hear the unique cadence of his footfalls—because she turns to him with an expression that tries to be calm but can't quite mask the relief.

Jirou leans close to her. "You're safe here. Remember that. No one here will lift a hand against you."

Maya studies him, clearly weighing his words for the hundredth time. "I thought you said you weren't their alpha. That they could obey or disobey you as they wished."

"I'm not their alpha. We don't _have_ true alphas except in times of high tension, which this _isn't_ now. But I'm still powerful, and more than that this is my _family_. Family doesn't—" Jirou breaks off the words, realizing too late that in the case of the Fangire family _does_.

Maya's lips turn in a quick, bitter grimace before she waves the hand not cradling Wataru. "It's all right. Most Fangire families wouldn't, either. I just... never expected to be here."

"If you stay with Otoya, and Otoya stays with me, then this will be a part of your life. A part of _his_ life." Jirou gestures towards Wataru, who lifts his head and blinks his eyes at Jirou. "You don't get too much more pleasant a chance to meet the pack than a mating ceremony, either."

The ghost of a more honest smile flits across Maya's face. "And I'm glad I can be here for it. Thank you, for everything. For... accepting me and Wataru."

Jirou lifts his shoulders in a shrug. "You understand the music in a way that I don't. I'm not going to steal that from him."

Reaching out, Maya touches Jirou's cheek, just the faintest caress. "You're kinder than you like to let on."

Huffing out an impatient breath, Jirou shakes his head. "A Wolfen takes care of his mate, just like the pack takes care of everyone. Besides, we wouldn't have Wataru without you."

Wataru reaches out with one chubby baby hand to grab a lock of Jirou's hair, holding tight. Jirou makes a show out of having to fight hard to free himself, earning a slow round of giggles from the boy.

Wataru would be worth... well, just about anything. Jirou thinks he could have tolerated a _lot_ more than a metamour Fangire if it meant bringing this child—Otoya's child—into existence. And who knows? As their family ages and they get a better feel of each other, maybe someday there will be a Wolfen-Fangire child for Otoya to call his son, too.

It's not like there are Wolfen to spare, after all. Though they survived—though Otoya and Maya and Jirou and Yuri and others fought and won the right for them to exist—they are not as many or as powerful as they once were. The whole pack fits within the room that Jirou rented for the occasion—the room that borders on a bit of forest where the pack can play when matters are concluded.

Taking Maya by the hand, Jirou leads her over to where other Wolfen parents with young children have congregated. The children who can toddle are running around on the ground, and Jirou waits until Wataru has been seated amongst them to leave Maya and go about finding his mate.

It's time to move this ceremony forward.

Otoya is still dancing, though his partner now is a young Wolfen male who doesn't seem to know if it's all right to touch Otoya or not. Jirou answers the question for him by lifting one lip and giving a half-hearted snarl. The pup seems more relieved at having an excuse to leave Otoya than irritated at the interruption, at least.

"Jirou!" Otoya grins at him, coming forward and putting his arms around Jirou's shoulders, swaying them both to the rhythm of the music. If the fact that it's much quieter than it would be at a party for humans causes him any trouble, it doesn't show in the sway of his hips or the glimmer in his eye. "Time for the group sex party?"

Jirou huffs out a sigh. "I told you that's not a part of Wolfen mating ceremonies. At least not for my pack."

"We could always change that." Otoya keeps a straight face for all of three seconds before laughing and leaning forward to kiss the corner of Jirou's mouth. "Kidding, kidding. I've got all that I need right here."

"Good." Jirou nuzzles into Otoya's neck, nipping lightly at the sensitive, soft skin there. He can hear Otoya's heart beating, smell his blood pooling just beneath the skin, practically _taste_ the soul that is _right there—_ and will _stay_ right there, if Jirou has anything to say about it, for a very long time.

"Is it time, though?" Otoya looks serious as he pulls back a little from Jirou. "Are we going to be properly mated now?"

"I was planning on it, yes." Jirou studies his mate, wondering exactly what Otoya is planning.

"Can I take a few minutes to do something, first?" Otoya's scent sparks with excitement, his mouth turning up in a grin again.

Jirou considers and then releases the human from his hold. "Sure. Do what you need."

Otoya disappears out into the dark, and for one panicked moment Jirou wonders if he's gotten cold feet—if he's going to run away from this commitment as he has from a thousand others. He hadn't scented any fear, though, and he and Otoya had talked about this extensively before they decided to go through with it.

His worries are for nothing, as Otoya returns a moment later with a familiar violin case. Bloody Rose, he and Maya call it, and Jirou can't help a shiver as Otoya opens the case and reverently removes the instrument from its housing.

"Attention! Hello!" Otoya draws a shivering chord from the violin, hastening the silence that had already started to descend on the audience. "My name is Kurenai Otoya. Some of you have met me already tonight; many of you haven't. I'm going to have the pleasure of being joined to your pack and to that delightfully built specimen of Wolfen over there—" Otoya pauses to point his bow towards Jirou. "But before I go through with it, I thought I would offer you something. A bit of music that I came up with to commemorate the occasion."

Without any further talking, Otoya lifts the violin up into the proper position and sets the bow against the strings.

At first the melody that he plays is familiar. Otoya has a tendency to choose musical themes for each of the people in his life, and Jirou long ago figured out which theme belongs to himself—as well as which belong to Otoya and Maya and Wataru.

Otoya's song starts with Jirou's theme, but it quickly expands out, becoming something bigger, darker, more complex and more haunting. For thirty seconds, forty seconds, the Wolfen all stand bound in place, heads tilting as they give themselves over to the music.

Then it changes _again_ , and once more Jirou recognizes the themes being added. There is Otoya's, fast and bouncy, twining around Jirou's. There is Maya's, calmer, more stoic. There is Wataru's, a simple little series of notes that feels... unfinished, but not in a bad way.

And then once more into something grander, something more complex. Something that binds the whole together, binds the chords of their little family to something far beyond them.

Jirou isn't the first one who starts howling, but his is one of the earlier voices adding itself to the music. He can't help it. The space is _there_ for them, the notes opening up to make room for their addition. The eldest and strongest of the pack first, but then the young ones, and the pups, and soon it is _all_ of them, because this _song_ is for all of them.

The pack trails off first, the music urging them to bow out, becoming softer and quieter, less full and detailed.

Finally there is just Otoya, playing a single shivering note, until even that fades away into silence.

Jirou's bones ache with the power of the song, and as he looks over into Otoya's eyes he has never loved the man more in his life.

The pack parts between them, leaving Jirou with a clear path to Otoya's side. He stalks along it, his human form seeming too restrictive, too small and simple, but it isn't quite time to let it go.

"Now?" Otoya's tongue slips out to brush his lips, his eyes darting around to take in the still, focused gazes of the Wolfen surrounding them. "The ceremony happens... now?"

"Now." The word is a growl as Jirou reaches out to place his palm against Otoya's cheek. "Unless you've some objection?"

"No." Otoya's hands fall to his sides, the bow in one, the violin in the other. "You heard what I feel in the song."

"Then let me tell you how I feel." Still with his hand on Otoya's cheek, Jirou turns to the gathered Wolfen and raises his voice to carry through the still room. "My pack! My family! I come before you today to introduce you to my mate, Kurenai Otoya. He has fought beside me. He has bled beside me. And from this day forward he will live beside me—and beside you."

"It's definitely better than the alternatives." Otoya speaks softly, likely not expecting Jirou to hear.

Jirou decides to ignore the words. Removing his hand from Otoya's face, he begins walking in a slow circle around Otoya. "We will face what comes together. We will be one in purpose, one in spirit, walking together through the night forest that is the true world."

Otoya bites his bottom lip. Jirou wonders if he wants to know what the man is thinking and decides against it.

"You, my pack." Jirou makes eye contact with Wolfen after Wolfen, aware that despite his careful work arranging this not everyone will be happy about what he is doing. "You will accept Otoya as you would accept any other mate. You will welcome my mate and my son into our ranks. You will protect them as I have protected you."

Jirou expected at least _some_ rumbling of dissent, but it doesn't come. Instead there is a slow, surging wave of sound, a howl that isn't quite a howl as the pack accepts his words.

"And you, Kurenai Otoya." Jirou turns to face Otoya squarely. "Will you accept my mark and a place in the pack at my side?"

"Yes." Otoya smiles, looking serene and certain with his violin in hand. "I do."

In one smooth motion Jirou bends down to rake his claws across the floor. Blue fire flare up, and his human form dissolves, his true Wolfen form rising to the surface.

Otoya doesn't flinch. He steps _forward_ , into Jirou's space, lifting his arms a bit to give Jirou choice of place.

Jirou goes for the traditional one, being extra careful because Otoya is _human_. His skin is more fragile, the flesh beneath more easily rent. Just a quick press of his fangs, a faint trickle of blood in his mouth, and then Jirou pulls back from Otoya's neck.

The marks begin to heal almost immediately, but they will never fade away completely, letting any other Wolfen know that _this_ mate is already taken.

Otoya buries his head against Jirou's neck, and Jirou feels a faint, strange pressure. Then Otoya is attempting to spit out fur, grimacing as he wipes at his tongue.

Jirou stares at him, taken aback.

Otoya shrugs. "Worth a shot, right? But I've already marked you where it matters." Pressing the fingers of the hand holding the bow to Jirou's chest, right above his heart, Otoya leans forward and kisses Jirou's muzzle.

Jirou sighs, nuzzling into this ridiculous, obnoxious, beautiful, _brilliant_ man who is his mate.

Otoya has indeed marked him, and Jirou couldn't be happier about anything in the world.


End file.
